Iowa Senate approves new license plate design

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Iowa Senate approves new license plate design

The Iowa Senate voted to approve a new license plate design that includes a place for a decal from a non-profit group.

The bill was introduced by Senator Chris Brase of Muscatine.

The state’s existing rules required a minimum number of applications within a year for an approved specialty license plate before it would be manufactured. The new design does away with the minimum requirements.

Senate File 371, approved with a unanimous vote April 2, 2013, says decal designs must first be approved by the state’s department of transportation.

The new design leaves it up to non-profit organizations to get approval from the state to issue a decal that can be used on license plates. Qualifying organizations must be non-profit, tax exempt and serve the community; have at least 200 members and submit a color copy of the decal design for approval. Production of the decals will be left to the organizations with approved decal designs.

The legislation leaves it up to the Department of Transportation to determine criteria for decal designs.

Existing specialty license plate designs would continue to be available.

If approved by the House, the new law would take effect January 1, 2014.